


eternity feels like seconds with you

by chrobins



Series: you taste like paradise [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood, F/M, M/M, Master/Servant, Past Abuse, Royalty, Slavery, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-01 19:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4032442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrobins/pseuds/chrobins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One day you might just find something worth living an eternity for.</p>
<p>Kuroo is a noble vampire and Tsukishima is just an ordinary slave, a fragile, young teen.</p>
<p>Kuroo is 21 and Tsukishima is 17.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_The castle is stuffy_ , Kuroo thinks to himself. Everywhere he goes, the stench of blood follows. He finds it sickening that the race he belongs to can’t even control themselves to not smell like a horde of  uncontrollable monsters. Couldn’t they clean up a bit and aerate the rooms to smell like something sweet or refreshing?

Being a prince of their small nation of vampires, Kuroo is required to make appearances to appeal to his subjects and assert his dominance. Though being the third prince in line for the throne, his prospects of becoming King are high. But he doesn’t really want the burden; while he enjoys the freedom of being a noble, a king is something he’d like to avoid becoming.

He was supposed to go the the banquet yesterday, and usually he goes to events where there is human food. Some vampires, like Kuroo himself, do indulge in cooked meats and vegetables and all kinds of great things. But a lot of his peers, including his two older brothers and father, do not condone his habits of eating food. And although Kuroo indulges in meats and human food, he is a vampire, and without a doubt, blood is the tastiest treat he could ever imagine. But Kuroo believes in not having too much of a good thing.

While most of his family kept multiple slaves, Kuroo has only one. And even she was not someone he picked out; Kiyoko was a gift from his father and was expected to use her as such. But he’d never harm or touch her against her will; it went against his good conscience. But, what his father didn’t know wouldn’t kill him. Since it was getting late, she was probably asleep in his bed now, a long day’s work behind her and ahead. There were just some things he couldn’t control. Perhaps, if he would ever become king, he’d change that.

Lost in thought, Kuroo didn’t pay attention to where he was going and discovered that he had walked into the middle of a slave auction. The smell was more noticeable, blood and dirt mixing together in a repulsive odor that caused the vampire to stumble only slightly. No one paid him much attention, focusing on the slaves that were being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Some people did glance his way murmuring about the king’s son finally coming to pick a slave for himself. But Kuroo wanted nothing to do with this.

Now that he was already here, Kuroo had planned to stay in a dark corner of the room, show his face publicly, and leave before the stench became too overwhelming. He watched as slave after slave were sold to greedy vampires and would probably not last much longer after a couple of nights. It made him sick that the humans were being treated poorly as such. It made his skin crawl. Kuroo was about to leave when a certain slave had caught his attention. He was tall, deathly thin and pale with the most beautiful blonde hair and golden eyes that he had ever seen. It felt like time had stopped for the vampire prince and all he could think about was that beautiful boy.

But as the bidding began, Kuroo’s blood began to boil. Someone else was going to take this treasure and drink him dry. The blonde boy was already so thin that he could probably die in a day or two. He looked so sick, and Kuroo felt compelled to keep him away from others. So he bid against the greedy nobles until it was just him and another vampire from a prestigious family. But Kuroo was a prince, the entire castle’s riches in his hands, and no matter how much money this man had, it was nowhere near how much Kuroo could use. And before long, the other pig had stopped bidding and this boy was all his now.

Rushing through the crowd, he approached the slave boy and saw him up close. The blonde regarded him, his eyes blank and empty, like he was devoid of emotions, as if he could already see his death before him. Kuroo frowned, picked the boy up carefully, making sure he didn’t fall, and hurried him back to his chambers. And when he stormed inside, Kiyoko awoke with a start, gazing wide-eyed at the new slave. She was about to question Kuroo but once glance at the vampire’s face and she closed her mouth. He didn’t need to say a thing. Kiyoko helped the boy into the bath and tended to him while Kuroo left to go find someone to prepare a feast. He wanted to save that young boy whose life was about to be thrown away; he wanted to care for him, feed him, and make sure no filthy hands touched such a beautiful person.

There was something about that blonde...like there was a strong tug at the very core of his being that felt like it forced him to gravitate to him. Kuroo had noticed that his breathing became heavy and there was this blinding need to be near him, to keep him safe...to protect him from harm. Even when he had carried the nearly unconscious boy to his room, his skin tingled where they touched, his heart felt heavy with regret. He only wished he could have been there from the beginning, and given this blonde angel the good life he deserved.

Soon, he entered the room again with a trolley cart full of foods that even made Kuroo’s mouth water. The door that led to the bathroom was still closed so he set the food by the door and waited. He trusted Kiyoko with his entire being...he was just nervous about what would happen to the boy. He looked young, probably barely 15 or 16 years old...too young to even go through such an ordeal. His heart stuttered at the thought of being drained to almost-death, to be raped as most slaves were, to be tossed around like a rag doll...it made him sick to his stomach. Kuroo had definitely felt that way about Kiyoko...but that feeling for the blonde was just so much stronger.

When the door opened, Kiyoko walked out by herself and shyly walked over to the prince. She sat next to him and let out a heavy sigh. “Tetsurou...what happened?” She asked, looking up at him with worried eyes.

“I don’t know, Shimizu. I accidentally walked into a slave auction...and I saw him...and I think I fell in love with him.” Kuroo said in one breath, holding his head in his hands. “I know it’s silly, to fall in love with a slave, a human, a boy, but there was something that pulled me to him that I just couldn’t ignore.” He sniffed and looked down at her. “You properly saw him, right? He probably hasn’t seen sunlight in years...had a proper meal at all...or had anyone tell him that everything was going to be alright.” Kuroo’s hands shook. “Seeing him made me want to go find every master he’s ever had and tear off their limbs until they’re screaming in pain and I want to burn their body parts and personally send them all to hell myself for ever touching that poor boy and--” Kuroo couldn’t finish his thought because Kiyoko had placed her hand gently atop his own.

Kuroo stared at his hands and noticed that he had dug his nails so deep that there were deep gashes in his palm and blood oozing onto the floor. His breathing was heavy and sweat plastered his messy hair to his forehead and it was suddenly way too hot in the room. With his clean hand, he gently squeezed her hand in thanks. “What would I do without you, Shimizu?” She laughed quietly, squeezing back before slipping away and standing back up off of the bed.

“Nothing, Your Highness.” She teased lightly, her dimples pressing lightly into her cheeks. Kuroo couldn’t help but reciprocate the gentle laugh. “Go fix yourself, Tetsurou. You look terrible. I’ll help get Kei fed and showered.” Kuroo’s eyes widened.

“Kei?” His voice squeaked. Kiyoko smiled.

“Yeah. His name is Kei.”

★★★★

As Kuroo leaves his room and head into the hall, his cheeks are pink and his head is filled with thoughts of Kei, the only thing in his mind as he walks aimlessly and miraculously walks into one of the many empty rooms they have inside the grand castle and heads into the ensuite. Once he looks in the mirror, he understood why Kiyoko told him to go wash up. There were dark circles under his eyes, the rest of his skin pale, and his usual bedhead is even worse. He looks terrible to say the least.

The first thing he does to remedy himself is to take a hot back. Kuroo notices that as he’s climbing into the tub, his limbs feel achy all over. But once he settles inside the hot water, he lets his head rest on the back of the tub and nearly falls asleep from how comfortable he was. Kuroo never realized how long he sat in that auction, how long he felt his heart yearn for the blonde slave boy, and how long he carried the nearly unconscious male back to safety.

The anger that had boiled all the way to his fingertips has drained him emotionally. Kiyoko was his lifesaver; he would be nothing, even lost, without her. He wanted to kiss her for all she had done for him. And he really wanted to kiss Kei…

From the moment he saw him, Kuroo knew that there was more to the tug in his heart than just pure attraction. There had to be something more...he’d been attracted to many people before, vampires and humans alike. But the experience with Kei had been so much more. Kuroo’s cheeks turn red as he sinks further into the water; he won’t bother the pair until tomorrow. The last thing he’d want for the blonde was to scare him off. For now, Kuroo only wishes that he’ll live to see Kei smile.

★★★★

Kiyoko and Tsukishima are silent for a while, sitting in a slightly uncomfortable silence in Kuroo’s room. The blonde had let Kiyoko bathe him, dress his wounds, and put warm clothes on his body. Since Tsukishima was so cold, she made sure to give him long-sleeved outfits and warm socks so his feet wouldn’t freeze. He didn’t understand why she was treating him with such kindness, perhaps the bonding of two human slaves, but he at least knew that another vampire had bought him, and another hell was about to begin.

The food was a surprise, trays and trays full of them. Tsukishima hadn’t remembered the first time he actually sat down to have a meal. The smell of it all was intoxicating; his mouth watered and his stomach growled. The last meal he had was probably a piece of stale, crusty bread that was left on the floor and had ants all over it. But...the food here had just been prepared, and the blonde didn’t want to hold back. He met Kiyoko’s eyes once again, who gave him a gentle smile, before turning to the food.

At first, he ate slowly, picking out bits and pieces here and there. His first bite nearly brought tears to his eyes; there were so many flavors he had never known existed. As he began to taste more and more, he sped up, nearly shoveling things into his mouth without hesitation. Kiyoko giggled as she watched, causing him to stop. He felt a bit embarrassed as his cheeks turned red and he slowed his chewing before swallowing.

“Thank you…” Tsukishima looked down at his cloth-covered toes. It felt like he was being treated like royalty. He snuck another glance at her; she was really beautiful, despite his foggy vision. But there was something that was strange about her; it wasn’t the nice clothing and the freshly bathed skin; vampires had all kinds of fetishes. It was the fact that he didn’t see any bruises. No matter how nice vampires were, they always left marks. And another thing that shocked him was the lack of bite marks. Then again, Tsukishima had always had terrible eyesight; they could have been hidden by makeup for all he knew.

“I’m not the one you should be thanking.” Kiyoko smiled, putting all of the empty plates in stacks to roll them back outside. Tsukishima flinched and looked to the door reflexively. “Don’t worry, he won’t come back tonight.” The tension in the blonde’s shoulders slowly eased away.

With the food eaten and the trays carted away outside, Kiyoko returns to the room and starts making the bed. She’s about to coax the new slave over to the bed but then notices he’s sitting quietly, staring at the ground with a blank expression. The awkward silence is back, and Kiyoko frowns. She considers sitting next to him but opts to staying on the bed and watching him.

The raven is the first to break the silence. “How many?” It’s a simple question with no meaning that anyone else could understand. But Tsukishima understands, and he clasps his fingers tight between his fingers, staring blankly at his lap.

“More than I can count. I lost track.” The blonde takes a deep breath. “All of them looked the same to me.” Kiyoko frowns, and she understands.

“Kuroo-san is different.” Tsukishima does not flinch, or even move. “You’re going to be okay here.” She says with a kindness that really makes the blonde want to believe her, but he just can’t. No vampire could be kind and gentle; it just didn’t make sense. The bath, the warm clothes, the hot meals, the comfortable bed...it would all disappear soon and he’d go right back to where he was again; just a plaything for vampires, and nothing more. He’s been through it before; he knows it’s going to happen again.

And she can see the hesitation in him, because she too had once been in his shoes. “You will see.” And then Kiyoko sits up and strides the blonde, gently pulling him to the warm covers. She tucked him in next to her, and she holds one of his hands lightly. He doesn’t shy away from her touch. “Outside this room, you keep your head down and say nothing. But inside these walls, in this room, you are free.” Tsukishima laughs coldly.

“Sounds like a cage to me.” But Kiyoko smiles, because she knows the blonde will come around.

“On his twelfth birthday, I was bought by our lord and given to Kuroo as a birthday present.” Tsukishima stiffens. “I was pure, a virgin in many senses of the word.” Kiyoko lays down and settles her head against the pillows as she looks at Tsukishima with a gentle gaze. “Kuroo was expected to drink from me as part of his ritual of becoming an adult. He looked so terrified, like he was afraid of hurting me.” Tsukishima bites his lip. “At first, Kuroo refused to touch me; but in response, his father gave him twenty lashings with a whip made of silver for defying him.” Tsukishima’s eyes are wide. “I was crying; I didn’t want him to get hurt over me, so I told him to drink from me. He was hesitant, and asked for permission again. What kind of vampire asks for permission to drink blood?” Kiyoko giggles a little at the memory. “Kuroo was in tears, but I don’t think it was because of his wounds.”

Tsukishima can hardly believe his ears; vampires were supposed to be ruthless, monsters that cared nothing about the cattle they kept. They weren’t supposed to care. “That was the only time he had drank from me. I think he survives on blood bags that they keep in the infirmary.” Kiyoko pulls the covers over them and tugs the blonde down with her. He feels weak in the knees. “I’m the only slave he has, save for you. I was just a gift; a play toy for Kuroo. I was actually surprised that he brought you home with him.” Kiyoko smiles and interlocks their fingers tight. “You must be really special, Kei.”

She pulls the blankets over them and whispers for him to sleep. And he does, because the mattress against his back is impossibly soft and the covers are warm and safe around his body and the gentle hand grasping his own makes it feel that for a moment, maybe things will be okay. But Tsukishima has been through this before; it won’t get better than this.

★★★★

After he’s dressed and cleaned the next day, Kuroo comes back into the room. With bad eyesight, Tsukishima has learned to use his ears more. And he notices the way Kuroo’s breath catches when he spots Tsukishima. It feels kind of disgusting. “Kei.” He jolts at the way his name is said; but he can tell it’s fake. Everything about this vampire is fake. “Please come with me.” The blonde stands and follows to wherever the vampire leads him.

Though it had only been a day, Tsukishima already feels like he can trust Kiyoko, and not having her with him makes him feel cold and unsafe. They were both slaves...and she had shared all of her deep secrets with him. He does not trust Kuroo one bit, and doesn’t feel like he could ever gain that trust either.

Other vampires walks past them in the hallway, and Tsukishima knows better to keep his head down. Don’t make eye contact. Some of them hiss in delight at him. But he doesn’t noticed that Kuroo’s standing so close until their arms brush. “Ah, I’m sorry.” Kuroo hastily apologizes and moves farther away from him. Tsukishima doesn’t understand the gesture; isn’t Kuroo supposed to show everyone else that he’s been claimed? That he’s Kuroo’s possession now? Tsukishima isn’t given much more time to think about it because Kuroo has led them to a small white room that smells of chemicals.

There’s another person in the room...it doesn’t particularly reek of blood, so maybe it was a human? Tsukishima is instructed to sit down and he does. “Hello, Tsukishima-san.” He doesn’t recognize the voice. “My name is Akaashi, and I’ll be your physician for the day.” The voice is kind and reminds him of Kiyoko. “Is there anything in particular you wanted, Kuroo-sama?” The vampire laughs.

“What did I say about being formal with me, Keiji?” Kuroo smiles and pats the doctor on the shoulder. To Tsukishima’s surprise, the human doesn’t seem scared of Kuroo in the slightest. “I just want him in perfect order.” The blonde doesn’t meet Kuroo’s gaze, but he can feel it burning on his skin. He doesn’t know what to make of it. “Fix up anything ya see, doc.” And then Kuroo is gone, giving the blonde and the doctor privacy.

One of the first thing Akaashi notices about the blonde boy is how timid he is. “I am a human; you can trust me.” He says, putting on his stethoscope and scooting closer to the blonde. “But you can trust Kuroo too.” Tsukishima stiffens, half from the cold metal being placed on his chest and the fact that everyone he has met so far had told him that Kuroo was a good man. It was a quiet session for the most part, none of them speaking much as Akaashi conducted tests after tests on him.

Putting away his tools, Akaashi sighs and starts scribbling on a pad of paper. The office is small, so Kuroo barely leans over to rap on the door to where Kuroo is waiting. It’s not long before the vampire shuffles in and sits down, looking worriedly onto Tsukishima. Again, the blonde doesn’t meet that fierce gaze. “He’s extremely malnourished, most likely due to previous owners. Tsukishima needs a lot of vitamins; I suggest a lot of carbohydrates and clean fluids.” The doctor scribbles around some more. “Don’t make him overexert too much; he needs a lot of rest, given his condition.”

Tsukishima frowns; there’s so many things wrong with him. How could Kuroo even bear to keep dead weight around? Kuroo could buy any other slave he wanted; why him? “His vision is terrible. It’s amazing how he can even move around and do simple tasks with how bad his eyes are.” Akaashi fiddles around in one of his drawers and pulls out a pair of black-rimmed glasses. “Tsukishima, is it okay if you wear these?” The doctor asks, offering them to him. Tsukishima doesn’t know how to react; for as long as he can remember, his vision had always been terrible and he had gotten used to the fact that he couldn’t see anything.

As a slave, he still doesn’t know if he’s allowed to. But he takes them anyway, slipping them on and keeping his eyes closed for a moment before he opens them. He is startled that Kuroo had moved his face in front of his own. And that’s when it happens; it’s a slow, gradually feeling, like a gravitational pull in his stomach that aches as he stares into Kuroo’s eyes. He gets lost in them; he has never seen someone this close before, and in such detail and color! There are so many new things he can see! But he can’t pull his eyes off of Kuroo; his face is tanner than he’d expect, and there are light wrinkles on his forehead. His hair is messy and sticks up in weird places, and it almost makes the blonde laugh. But he can’t ignore that tight feeling that makes him want to do nothing more than to embrace this man.

“How is it, Tsukishima?” The blonde turns to the doctor, and nods. Everything is so crystal clear...he would have never known how beautiful everything was in front of his own eyes. He wondered how beautiful Kiyoko would look with his new eyesight. The food, the clothes, the comfortable bed, the trip to the doctor...it feels so extreme. He’s never been treated so kindly, like a person. His eyes sting at the thought and he quickly hides his face away from the other males in the room.

“Thank you very much.” He squeaks, and he hopes they leave him alone for the time being. Thankfully, the doctor takes the hint and turns to Kuroo, motioning for him to sit down.

“Kuroo, I need to check on you too.” The vampire whines. “You’re not getting out of this one.” Tsukishima turns briefly and watches how expertly the doctor sticks a needle into Kuroo’s arm and draws a vial full of blood in one motion. Kuroo hisses and rubs his arm, and in mere seconds, the wound is gone like it had never existed.

It’s silent inside the small office as Akaashi takes the blood sample to a microscope and begins studying it carefully. Tsukishima feels awkward; he’s been giving so many new things...he doesn’t know what to do. He should probably thank Kuroo for everything that he’s done, but...Akaashi interrupts his thoughts with a long groan.

“Kuroo.” His tone is firm and Kuroo flinches back. “I know you don’t like it, but you seriously need to drink live blood more.” Tsukishima stiffens. “Those blood packets you keep stealing aren’t going to help you.” Kuroo looks sheepish; he can’t back away anymore. “I’m going to change the locks in the infirmary.” The vampire whines in protest. “Kiyoko is more than willing to offer her blood to you.” Akaashi glances at the blonde. “Have you drank from him yet?” Both of them don’t move or say a word. Akaashi sighs and rubs his temples. “If you keep going on like this, your symptoms are going to get worse and you could end up dying in a year or two.” Tsukishima is dead silent. “The painkillers I give you are going to wear off quicker and your movements will turn sluggish until you become bedridden.”

“But--”

“No buts, Kuroo.” Akaashi frowns for a moment before smiling. “Don’t worry; I’ve known you for many years. You will still be the same man even if you drink from live humans. You’re not going to change.” He walks over and gives him a hug, which surprises Kuroo and Tsukishima both. “You’re not a monster, Kuroo. You’re the nicest vampire I’ve ever known, and nothing will change that. I promise.” Kuroo chuckles nervously and hugs the doctor back.

Then Kuroo leaves before Akaashi can scold him more and drags the blonde out. Tsukishima is startled by the warm hand circling his wrist; he expected a rough touch, and vice grip on his thin wrist, but the blonde notices how warm and gentle it is that Tsukishima is starting to doubt his prejudices against the vampire. Although his feet are moving to catch up with Kuroo, it feels like there’s a string attached to both of them that’s carrying him on their journey.

They make it inside quickly and his wrist is freed. Kuroo moves to his bed and falls on his back, looking up at the ceiling. The uncomfortable yet familiar silence is back, and Tsukishima fidgets until he sits down on a chair by the window. “Thank you.” He says again, quiet, barely above a whisper, but Kuroo hears it.

“Don’t thank me; I didn’t do much.” Tsukishima frowns. But you’ve done so much for me...I don’t know how to accept your kindness. Kiyoko walks in, which surprises Tsukishima and he shoots up in his seat. He turns pink at the sight of her; now with his new glasses, his suspicions were confirmed; Kiyoko was such a beautiful girl. But then he’s hit with a block of confusion; she was so gorgeous, and so gentle and kind...why would Kuroo not take advantage of her? She seemed to fit him perfectly...yet he could see clearly that she had no bite marks or bruises.

Kiyoko greets Kuroo briefly before going into the ensuite to clean. She closes the door behind her, leaving the two alone, again. But the silence doesn’t last long. “Can you lie on the bed for me?” Tsukishima shivers; this was it. This was the moment he had feared come, but obliged anyway. He gingerly climbed on top of the bed adorned with warm, hand-stitched quilts and elaborately decorated pillows. Kuroo kept his distance still, but close enough to where it made the blonde nervous. “You don’t have to be scared.” Tsukishima wanted to laugh at such a ridiculous statement. “Tsukishima, is it alright if I...drink from you?”

There’s a certain kindness to the dark-haired male’s voice, but Tsukishima knows better than to trust such a sugary sweet tone; he’s seen it before. Despite all that Kiyoko and Akaashi have said, he still doesn’t trust Kuroo, and never will; in the end, he was a vampire, and all vampires wanted was human blood.

But then he thinks back to Kiyoko’s words. _He’s different._ All vampires are the same. _Here, you’re safe. You will see._ If Kiyoko really is telling the truth, then...Tsukishima fights back a grin as he stares back into Kuroo’s eyes. “No...it’s not alright.” Tsukishima never realized how shaky and hoarse his voice was until he spoke; it shocked both of them. Kuroo’s eyes are wide, and the blonde fears momentarily that the vampire is going to lash out at him. But Kuroo doesn’t. He stands back up and rubs his temples slowly.

With a heavy sigh, the vampire calls for Kiyoko, whispers something in her ear, then leaves just as quickly as he had come. Tsukishima’s confused, laying dumbfounded on the now empty bed. “You’re a silly boy, you know that?” Kiyoko smiles at him, then starts to uncover the sheets to the grandiose bed. “If you won’t give him permission, he will never touch you against your will.” Kiyoko pauses to look at the blonde before taking the laundry basket and leaving the blonde alone this time.

As soon as everyone has left, his body begins to shake. He doesn’t have an explanation as to why he’s crying all of a sudden, and why the tug in his stomach tugs and tugs until it becomes painful. Tsukishima curls up into a ball; it was the first time he had ever stood up for himself and refused the touch of a vampire, and it was supposed to be more exhilarating and more free, not painful. It was supposed to feel good; seeing Kuroo’s face of rejection hurt more than he would have ever imagined. Had he grown soft just because Kuroo had given him nice clothes and food to eat? Tsukishima had thought he’d never be able to see properly, but now, lying on the bed, he could see the individual stitches on the quilt that spiraled in and out.

Tsukishima is not yet won over; he has his doubts. Kuroo can’t be this perfect; he can’t be this beautiful knight in shining armor that’s going to treat him with kindness and respect, two things that the blonde had long given up on. He rummages around in one of the drawers before finding a small knife. He knows Kuroo would be able to smell it. Tsukishima braces himself before cutting a long line on his side, gasping slightly at the pain as the fresh blood trickles out.

It takes Kuroo thirty seconds before he slams the door open and rushes to the blonde’s side. And this was exactly the reaction that Tsukishima had expected, and he closed his eyes to wait for the pierce of fangs in his side, but it never comes. He hadn’t noticed that Kuroo left briefly and came back with wet towels and bandages. “Kei, I’m so sorry! I should have kept the knife in a safer spot!” Kuroo is wiping frantically at the blood and wrapping it around the blonde’s waist. Tsukishima looks down and Kuroo’s eyes are indeed red. He knows Kuroo’s instincts are running wilde at the smell of blood but Kuroo makes no move to drink.

It finally hits Tsukishima that even being this close and touching him, Kuroo is holding back every vampiric instinct that is screaming at him to drink the freshly spilled blood and to drain Tsukishima completely. He can see now how Kuroo’s fingers tremble, knowing his body wants to grip tight onto his waist and help himself to what belongs to him. Tsukishima’s world that he had suffered in for so long, being tossed around between vampires like a stuffed toy, deprived of food and basic rights, of being property for as long as he can remember, all the scars that still remain on his pale skin...his world is crumbling apart each second he spends in Kuroo’s presence.

When Kuroo’s done, he takes the knife away and hides it somewhere else, and Tsukishima loses it. He starts sobbing uncontrollably, hiding his face in the blankets. Kuroo is alarmed and comes to his side, thinking that the wound is causing him pain. “I don’t want to suffer anymore!” Tsukishima feels Kuroo’s arms wrapping around him and he does nothing to stop himself from falling into those arms. “I don’t want to feel pain anymore!” The blonde mumbles into Kuroo’s clothed chest, staining them with his fresh tears. Kuroo rubs the blonde’s back.

“It took me a long time to find you, Kei. I’m sorry you had to go through so much...so much pain. You didn’t deserve any of that; you deserve so much more, Kei. You deserve so much more...so much more than I can give you.” And Tsukishima, with a heavy sigh, believes in those words.

Kiyoko had heard the sobs and opened the door, worried for both of their sakes. But she sees Tsukishima bundled up in Kuroo’s arms, his sobbing dying down. Kuroo spots her and smiles sheepishly, letting his back fall more comfortably against the too many pillows. Kiyoko breathes a sigh of relief and takes her leave, winking at the vampire as she walks out the door.

It’s quiet for a while, and Tsukishima still clings to Kuroo tightly. The vampire tries to give him as much comfort as possible, barely moving but holding the other firm against him. The tugging sensation in his heart has dulled, and Kuroo thinks it’s due to the fact that the boy he’s fallen in love with is now here by his side. He wonders if Tsukishima feels the same as he does. Once night falls and it becomes harder to see in the dark, Tsukishima sits up, crawling out of the other’s hold but still close enough that their legs still touch.

“I didn’t think I could trust you…” The blonde starts, wiping his eyes of any evidence of tears. “But...I want to trust you.” Tsukishima fidgets, interlocks his own fingers, and looks back up at Kuroo. “Is it okay if I can trust you?” Kuroo bites his lip and nods.

“I would never hurt you...I want to keep you safe...I…” Kuroo can’t finish his sentence because Tsukishima is in his arms again, shoulders shaking. The blonde gets it now; his entire life of being treated like dirt, of being nothing more than just a speck of dust, of barely being able to see and to have no one to treat him with kindness...all of the suffering was coming to an end, thanks to this vampire, this man. This person saved him from his suffering, and given him the freedom he desired. Kiyoko had been right; inside these walls, inside Kuroo’s arms, he was safe.

The blonde tilts his head up, still not used to the fact that he can see Kuroo as clear as day. “Is what the doctor said true?” Kuroo stiffens. “Are you going to die?” The vampire looks away and doesn’t meet his gaze. But Tsukishima climbs out of the other’s grasp again and tilts his neck to the side. “I don’t want you to die, Kuroo-san.” And it’s the first time he’s said his name aloud and Kuroo snaps his attention back to Tsukishima.

“Please, drink from me.”

★★★★

Tsukishima closes his eyes and allows Kuroo to touch him, to smell him. He’s scared and nervous because he’s had so many dangerous and painful encounters with vampires and he really doesn’t want a repeat of that. But, for now at least, Tsukishima has given the raven the benefit of the doubt.

The blonde expects Kuroo to lick along his neck, inhale the scent of his blood and puncture him there, but Kuroo doesn’t. Kuroo starts at the blonde’s hair, nose traveling down, pausing at his neck and letting out a deep moan, but he keeps going farther and suddenly his pants are off and discarded before Tsukishima could even move.

He had scars, everywhere. It was the first time Kuroo had seen the blonde without clothing. Kuroo ran his hand up the blonde’s shirt a little, grimacing at the marks and deep wounds. He glanced at the other briefly before pulling the blonde’s shirt back down and pressing his nose into Tsukishima’s hip. He could tell from the moment they met that Tsukishima’s blood smelled delicious, more so than anyone he had ever gotten a whiff of before.

Kuroo pushed the blonde’s legs apart, burying his face into the young teen’s groin, whimpering at the smell. Tsukishima was frightened; no one had ever bit there before. Sure, he had been raped and had his cock thrusted into way too many weird places that mentally scarred him, but no one had ever thought to bite and suck blood from his groin. Kiyoko was right; Kuroo was different. He was a pervert if Tsukishima ever saw one.

The vampire couldn’t hold back any more; Tsukishima smelled way too good and he had gotten permission from the blonde to taste his blood. As Kuroo let his aching fangs pierce the pale skin of Tsukishima’s inner thigh, both of them made obscene noises as Kuroo began to feed. Tsukishima screwed his eyes shut, gripping the pillows as Kuroo licked and bit and sucked on his skin. Kuroo was shaking; even Tsukishima could tell. It felt like his control was slipping, but Tsukishima’s whimpers had kept him grounded.

The blonde shivered; the initial sting of fangs was painful, but the hot lips wrapped on his skin were hot. He could feel an erotic warmth spreading across his body. Tsukishima felt slightly dizzy, like he had drank one too many glasses of wine or had inhaled some aphrodisiac that just made his body heavy and his mind turn to mush. It wasn’t a negative feeling. Though he could feel the blood leaving him, it wasn’t frantic, or painful. There had been one time where he had nearly died because one of his previous masters had lost control and almost drained the blonde dry.

But there was something different about the way Kuroo fed from him. He didn’t feel that sickly draining that he got from his previous owners. He could feel the raven’s fingers pressing gently into his skin, rubbing in small circles as Kuroo licked his wound clean. Tsukishima’s skin still tingled and he did feel tired and slightly fatigued, but there was a pleasant buzz that sang a melody through his body, and he could barely pick out the sound of Kuroo humming a lullaby in his ear as Tsukishima slumped against the pillows.

His breathing was heavy, but it died down once Kuroo rested his head in the blonde’s lap. Tsukishima didn’t regard the intimacy; he was too exhausted to even think. And strange enough, the blonde thought that maybe he’d like to experience that once again. He would have never thought that having a vampire feed off of him would feel so good. His legs weren’t bleeding anymore and his shorts were pulled down to cover his groin. Tsukishima felt almost loopy, like he was treading in and out of consciousness

Kuroo had hiked up the blonde’s shirt just a little so that he could rest his head on Tsukishima’s stomach. While he was still thin, the mountains of food he kept feeding the blonde had helped enough to not worry him so much. “Kei.” He says, quiet, but loud enough for the blonde to hear. Tsukishima takes a deep breath, opens his eyes, and peers down at the vampire beneath him with a curious expression. “I’m in love with you.” It takes a moment for the blonde’s brain to piece the words together coherently and understand just what Kuroo had said. It brings a bright red tint to his pale cheeks and he bolts into an upright position, knocking Kuroo off of him a little.

“L-love?” Tsukishima stutters, covering his mouth with his hand. Kuroo nods, also a little red in the face.

“From the moment I saw you, I felt this tugging in my chest and I couldn’t stop the gravitation I felt towards you...like you were the one person I had been waiting for all of my life.” Kuroo says without restraint, scooting closer to he can rest on Tsukishima’s lap again. His skin smells so sweet, the blood in his veins even sweeter.

Tsukishima bites his lip and clutches the fabric by his chest; he had felt it too, the first time he was given glasses and Kuroo was the first person he had ever seen. Kuroo had felt the same? His heart pounded at the thought; there was no way this could all be real. “What about Kiyoko-san? She’s really pretty and very nice.” Tsukishima whispers as Kuroo presses light kisses to his bony knees.

“I love Shimizu.” Kuroo states plainly, moving from out of Tsukishima’s parted legs and crawls to his side, facing the blonde. “But I’m not in love with her.” Kuroo takes one of the blonde’s hands in his own and holds it tightly. “Now the way that I’m in love with you.” Tsukishima bites his lip; he can’t meet Kuroo’s intense gaze.

“You don’t even know me.” Tsukishima adjusts his glasses and tries to bury his face into the soft pillows. But Kuroo’s fingers trace lightly on the exposed skin of his cheek, drawing small circles.

“I don’t need to.” Tsukishima freezes against the touch. “All I need to know is that you’re alive; that’s what matters to me most.” Kuroo takes the hand wrapped in his own and kisses the back of it lightly. “As long as you’re happy here, with me, that’s all that matters.” Tsukishima shivers, turning away from the other vampire. He’s never experienced love in his life, nor has he ever seen it happen to anyone before. Tsukishima can’t comprehend that Kuroo would go through so much for him

But at least, for right now, he’s not opposed to the love that Kuroo gives him. Rather, he wants to know what it feels like to love someone so that he can repay Kuroo for all of the kindness he’s been given. Tsukishima wants to learn to love Kuroo so that perhaps the vampire can realize just how much he means to him now, just how much it meant to take him out of the slave world into a new life, one where he can stop existing and start living.

★★★★

On instinct, Tsukishima wakes up early. He’s in a familiar place, but the body next to him doesn’t smell like perfume and flowers. He jolts a little, but relaxes when he sees Kuroo’s hair stark against the pillows and he relaxes. There’s a warm arm draped around his middle, clutching lightly. Kuroo makes a small noise but makes no move to get up.

He doesn’t want to get up and do chores; ever since he went to see the doctor, Kuroo had forbid him from doing any kind of housework at all. It was the strangest command he had ever received since being a slave. Even Kiyoko told him to just eat and sleep until he was okay enough to move around. Sleeping around all day wasn’t a bad thing; Tsukishima just felt antsy all the time and he wanted to do something to help Kuroo.

As if on cue, Kiyoko walks in with a pile of neatly folded clothes and sets them on the bed. She talks in a quiet tone as to not wake up Kuroo. “Let’s go get you bathed, Kei.” She says with the sweetest smile as she helps him out of the vampire’s grasp and into the bathroom. “Did Kuroo tell you about today?” Tsukishima stares. Kiyoko sighs once the door is closed. “You’re going out in public today.” Tsukishima freezes. “Kuroo’s been stalling as much as possible, but he needs to attend the gala and show off his new…” She trails off for a second. “Possession.” She’s about to speak again but Tsukishima interrupts her.

“It’s okay. I know Kuroo doesn’t feel that way.” He’s a little embarrassed by his own words and he looks away, cheeks red. Kiyoko smiles and helps him get undressed. There’s a loud thump on the other side of the door and they both freeze. Kiyoko stands up and opens the door only to laugh. Tsukishima can’t see what’s happening from inside the tub, but he presses his back against the cool porcelain of the tub and closes his eyes. And when he opens them again, Kuroo is sitting there instead of Kiyoko, and he’s rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

“I fell off the bed.” Kuroo says, pouring soap into the bathwater. Tsukishima stares at the other for a moment before he too starts laughing. The angelic sound spilling from the blonde’s lips makes Kuroo’s nails dig inside the bottle and it breaks in his grasp, spilling everything into the water. Tsukishima only laughs even more. But his laughter dies down when he feels Kuroo’s soft hands massaging soap into his hair. It feels nice; his hands are bigger and quite rougher than Kiyoko’s but they’re still gentle as the pads of Kuroo’s fingers massage his scalp that almost sends him back to sleep again.

It’s quiet as Kuroo rinses the blonde strands and helps him out of the tub. Using a fluffy towel, he makes sure every inch of the teen’s body is dry before putting on the clothes. There a bit plainer than usual, their statuses a clear difference. Kuroo fixes the blonde hair to perfection and makes sure the glasses are on perfect before smiling and kissing his cheek. Tsukishima turns red at the gesture and doesn’t meet the other male’s gaze. “You look gorgeous.”

Then when he’s brought back into the bedroom, there are three different trays full of food and Kiyoko is already eating off of one plate. He joins her while Kuroo gets dressed and eats nearly all of the strawberries. Kiyoko laughs. “Is that your favorite food?” Tsukishima nods, taking food onto his plate and eating it rather quickly. Each day feels like an entirely new adventure of food he never knew existed. It makes his heart swell that Kuroo is doing all of this just for the two of them. He leans into Kiyoko with a gentle smile.

Kuroo emerges with his royal get-up fit for a prince, but Tsukishima only laughs. “You still can’t fix your hair?” Kuroo frowns, trying to smooth it down. But, alas, it sticks right back up which makes Tsukishima laugh even more. “You look like a peacock.” Tsukishima teases. Slowly, but surely, not that he had been given freedom to speak his mind, Kuroo has begun to notice that Tsukishima has quite the mouth. But it only makes his love for the blonde stronger.

Kiyoko giggles and she walks over to try and smooth down Kuroo’s hair as much as possible. And though she did fix it a little, the stray strands just would not stand up. But Tsukishima smiled; it was part of his charm after all. But after all of the food was eaten, the blonde realized that he now had to go walk into a room filled with thirsty vampires. He clutched onto Kuroo’s side; he would protect him, right? He wouldn’t have to worry about anyone else touching him, right? He was still scared.

Kuroo hugged Tsukishima tight, kissed his ear and whispered that everything was going to be okay before walking out of his chambers and to the banquet hall. Tsukishima stays as close to Kuroo as possible as they walk; all kinds of vampires step before them and bow before Kuroo’s presence, but they all glare at Tsukishima. No one would touch him; he was a “possession” of the King’s son. No one would dare harm him.

Kuroo looks around the grand ballroom, looking for somebody he knows. But all he can see is a sea of vampires, pulling their slaves along by chains. Another thing he notices is the unclaimed slaves on the far edge of the wall. They’re naked, because they’re like the chocolate fountains at a human party. Kuroo turns away in disgust and keeps Tsukishima away from it. The vampire spots one of his brothers on the other side of the room and makes his way over.

Tsukishima feels like the night is going swiftly so far, but a sickly voice brings him out of the safety net and into the fire. Tsukishima freezes instantly and wishes he was invisible. Kuroo notices the change immediately and wraps a protective arm around the blonde.

“Ah, if it isn’t Kuroo-sama.” A noble the raven doesn’t recognize presents himself in front of the prince and bows slightly. “It’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” The noble keeps talking formalities until he sees the blonde trying to hide behind Kuroo. “Ah, what a lovely new toy you’ve got there!” Kuroo narrows his eyes at the other man. “I hope he was a good treat! I was worried I killed the poor thing.” The noble laughs and Kuroo grinds his teeth; if he had it his way, he’d kill that pathetic man limb by limb and set all of the pieces on fire. “He had a sharp mouth, you know. I don’t like toys that talk back to me.” Kuroo is ready to commit homicide.

“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t.” Kuroo speaks in the fakest voice he can manage without sounding murderous. “I might have had to kill you myself if you did.” And that’s when the noble freezes, laughs nervously, and takes his leave. Kuroo thinks he’s done enough socializing for the day, and Tsukishima is still trembling beneath his touch. He doesn’t waste much more time in getting the blonde back to the safety of his room and away from all of the hungry gazes that linger on his lover.

When the door closes, Kuroo punches a wall. Tsukishima runs to the bed and hides under the covers; he’s not scared of Kuroo, but he just feels disgusting after being at that banquet. Tsukishima feels dirty, and he hides away from the vampire’s eyes. “Kei.” Kuroo had calmed down just a little and softens his tone as he rids himself of the stuffy garb. “Kei, it’s okay now.” The vampire gently pulls the covers away and curls against Tsukishima’s back. He lets his arms wrap protectively around the blonde’s frame and presses his nose into the back of his neck. “He won’t touch you anymore.” Kuroo coos, pressing small kisses on the pale skin there. Exhausted from the day, Tsukishima slowly starts falling asleep, holding onto Kuroo’s arms as he sleeps and hopes tomorrow will be better.

★★★★

It’s loud when Tsukishima wakes up the next morning; Kuroo and Kiyoko are running around the room, throwing stuff around and giggling at each other. Tsukishima yawns as he sits up and Kuroo is the first to recognize that the blonde is awake. “Kei!” He cheered, immediately curling his entire body around the other male. The blonde was surprised by the sudden affection, but he lets one of his hands card gently though dark locks.

“Do I want to know why you woke me up with your monkey sounds?” Tsukishima teased, stretching again before  realizing that the room was...empty. The pictures on the wall, the embroidered chairs, the closet being empty...everything was gone. Kuroo grinned wide as Kiyoko brought tons of bags and suitcases out into the hallway.

“We’re moving.” He states plainly, crawling off of the bed and pulling the sheets off immediately. Tsukishima just stares blankly as Kuroo bounds away to finish hauling stuff out of the room. Kuroo doesn’t give the blonde much time to chew over the news because he’s suddenly gone. Tsukishima huffs a sigh.

There’s one cart of food tucked in the corner away from where all of the stuff is, which they probably kept warm for him as he slept. He moves slowly, excited and surprised by the mound of fresh strawberries. But he saves it for last and eats more substantial foods, like warm toast and scrambled eggs. Tsukishima finishes rather quickly so he can help Kiyoko with all of the work. But as soon as he lifts something, Kuroo is there in a flash, setting the bag down and whisking Tsukishima into the bathroom.

They sit on the tub, and Kuroo is holding the blonde’s hands. “I want to apologize for yesterday.” Kuroo begins, looking at the floor. “I put you through something so uncomfortable, and I don’t think I can ever forgive myself for putting you through so much pain.” Kuroo’s gentle fingers come up and brush under the black-rimmed glasses, pressing lightly into the skin of the blonde’s cheek. Tsukishima shakes his head, holding onto the hand on his face.

“It’s not your fault, Kuroo.” The blonde smiles and kisses each fingertip on the vampire’s hand. “I don’t blame you.” Tsukishima gives the other a soft smile. Kuroo beams, grinning ear to ear as he leans forward and places small kisses on the blonde’s cheeks. Tsukishima giggles at the feathery touches and tries to back away, though he does appreciate the small acts of affection from the other. But he feels bad; he wants to do something for Kuroo, something to show that he cares so much.

“Well, like I said this morning, we’re moving out of here.” Tsukishima stiffens. “My father...granted me a piece of land a bit away from here. He knows I don’t want the throne, and my older brothers are far more capable of taking over the castle.” Kuroo swings his feet a little on the edge of the tub. “So he’s letting me be on my own away from the castle.” He’s silent for a while as Tsukishima studies Kuroo. He mulls over it for a while.

“Are you going to miss your family?” Tsukishima asks, holding onto the other male’s hands tightly, letting his thumbs rub gently over the backs of his hands. “I’ve never met your family before...but you talk about like with a high regard.” The blonde bites his lip; he barely know anything about Kuroo, and yet the vampire was willing to drop everything, including his family, to be with him. Tsukishima didn’t feel worthy.

Kuroo bites his lip. “Yeah. I mean, my brothers have been helping me my entire life. Daichi’s the oldest, though he’s only a year older than me. He’s strong and reliable...and he’s always been there for me. Hajime is the second oldest; he’s probably stronger than Daichi, and he’s very quiet and soft spoken, but he’s probably kinder than anyone I know.” Kuroo chuckles. “My father is hard, and traditional. He’d probably have a heart attack if I told him I fell in love with you.” Kuroo laughs again, but he’s on the verge of tears. Tsukishima recognizes it instantly so he hugs the other male, burying his face in the crook of the other’s neck.

“Ssshhh…” Tsukishima whispers into the other’s ears, exposing his neck for the other. Kuroo catches a whiff of the blonde’s sweet blood and he lets out a strangled moan. “I will help Kiyoko with packing. You go talk to your brothers.” Tsukishima smiles. “It sounds like they mean a lot to you.” Kuroo hiccups; he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s crying but he could feel the wet tears against your skin. “If...it helps you calm down…” Tsukishima fidgets slightly. “You can drink from me...to make you feel better.”

Kuroo freezes for a moment; he inhales the scent of the blonde, shivering as the pleasurable scent fills his entire body and sends a warm, pleasant buzz at the thought of that delicious blood on his lips and his tongues. “Is it really okay?” He asks, voice soft, pressing small kisses to Tsukishima’s neck. The younger male hums and nods in response, and Kuroo is gently piercing the pale skin of Tsukishima’s neck with his fangs. As soon as the sweet blood hits his lips, Kuroo nearly falls off the edge of the tub. If he had thought that his blood was delicious the first time he drank, this time around was even sweeter, like the sweetest honey straight from the beehive. Maybe it was because Tsukishima was finally eating properly, or the massive amount of strawberries he ate on a daily basis was getting in his blood, but either way, Kuroo was in heaven. He sucked and moaned, holding Tsukishima tight in his lap.

The blonde clung to the other tightly, losing his breath as each second passed when Kuroo drank for him. That same, delicious, dizzying feeling that made it seem like his entire body was drunk on Kuroo, his affections, his touch, his dazzling, toothy smile, and his love. It felt like there was a chorus of singers around them, singing praise. Everything was so intimate, the trust Tsukishima had for Kuroo, the trust that he would never go too far, the love Kuroo screamed out of his pores for the other male. His skin was alight and Tsukishima nearly passed out from the pleasurable feeling. It felt almost embarrassing that he was feeling so high and so deliriously delicious just from Kuroo sucking his blood, and act he used to think repulsive, and act that only Kuroo could make seem magical.

When Kuroo pulled away, hips lips were bright red and there was some blood trickling down his chin. Tsukishima, in his dizzying state, smiled at the cuteness and leaned forward to lick the excess on Kuroo’s chin and lips. Kuroo nearly fainted again, but Tsukishima held onto him tight and they both inched closer together. Kuroo licked at the wound, making sure Tsukishima was all clean before he crawled into the tub and pulled the blonde with him, falling unconscious with Tsukishima in his arms, breathing evenly and slowly.

★★★★

By the time Kiyoko finds the couple napping in the tub, the room has already been thoroughly cleaned out and emptied, everything they would ever need for the new piece of land already packaged in carriages. Another servant already set out for the empty castle to clean it and prepare for the new residents. She doesn’t have time to warn them, though, because Kuroo’s loud cousin comes crashing into the ensuite.

“KUROO!” Bokuto yells out, shaking the man awake. Tsukishima bolts up and stares wide-eyed at the intruder. The blonde narrows his eyes, glaring at the stranger who interrupted his pleasant nap. Kuroo wakes up soon after, rubbing his eyes and groaning when he sees the owlish vampire. “Why are ya sleeping? We’re going to the new castle!” Bokuto’s boundless energy causes him to jump around the room. Kuroo is thankful they already emptied everything valuable because his cousin has this unique ability of being able to break everything valuable in less than two seconds of his presence.

Tsukishima embarrassingly crawls off of Kuroo and stands up, brushing himself off. Bokuto gives the blonde a look-over once, then turns his attention back to the other male. “Bokuto, please stop yelling.” Kuroo rubs his temples with a heavy sigh. Kiyoko giggles and whisks Tsukishima out of the room and into the bedroom where they can relax. “What do you mean, ‘we?’” Kuroo feels as if he’s not going to get an answer he likes.

“Well, by we, I mean you, me, Kiyoko, Akaashi, and your boyfriend.” Bokuto says in a rather calm voice, using his fingers to count to make sure he didn’t miss anyone. “And Ennoshita is already at the castle cleaning.” He says, proud of himself that he remembered. Kuroo looks up at his cousin, his best friend, and sighs. He wasn’t planning on it, but Bokuto seems to be adamant about going. “Besides, the castle is so stuffy. It reeks everywhere I go and I just wish I can shower in bleach.” He whines, and then Kuroo’s lips twinge into a sly grin.

“Oh? Bleach?” Bokuto groans.

“Yes, bleach! The smell of clean! The smell of chemicals and…”

“And doctor’s rooms?”

“Yes, yes, doctor’s rooms! They smell so nice and pure!”

“Or maybe just a doctor?”

“Yeah, just doctors! I could smell them all…” Bokuto trails off and looks at Kuroo. “Day.” He finishes his statement. And it takes him a couple of seconds, but then he pales and shrieks and escapes before Kuroo can pester him more. He chuckles to himself and climbs out of the tub and into the bedroom.

Tsukishima is now dressed for the journey and Kiyoko is standing next to him smiling. Kuroo stares at his two companions and a rush of emotions come swelling up in his chest. He surges forward and embraces the two tightly in his arms. Kiyoko and Tsukishima are stunned by the sudden act of affection, but it’s much welcomes. “You two have given my life so much meaning...I don’t know where I’d be without you two.” Kuroo sniffles, but he doesn’t cry. Kiyoko rubs his back and kisses his cheek. Tsukishima is a bit embarrassed, but he mirrors her actions on his other cheek. Kuroo blushes fiercely.

“Go speak to your brothers.” Tsukishima says, pulling away. “None of us are leaving, so you should go say goodbye.” The blonde says, nearly forcing Kuroo out of the door. The vampire whines and turns around the doorway, looming over the blonde. They stare at each other for a moment before Kuroo leans down and presses his lips against Tsukishima’s. It’s their first real kiss, and Tsukishima wishes the kiss would last longer. But both of them know that once they move out to the lone castle, they’d be able to have many moments like this one.

Kuroo pulls away with a smile, cups his cheek lightly and pecks him again, but he disappears again and Tsukishima if left breathless. The blonde forgot for a second that they hadn’t been the only one in the house and he turns beet red as he turns around and sees Kiyoko standing there giving him a thumbs up. He wants to hide, but Kiyoko wraps her arms around him tightly so he can’t escape. “Thank you…” Her voice is quiet, but the blonde can tell she’s crying. “For making Kuroo happy.” She says, burying her face in his chest. Tsukishima is surprised but he hugs her back; Kiyoko had been the first person he had trusted, and he was ever so thankful. He let her cry in his arms, since it was just the two of them, and it was their little secret.

★★★★

When they arrive, Ennoshita, one of the newer servants, comes out to greet them. Kiyoko gasps when she sees him and runs out as soon as the carriage stops. Kuroo just assumes it’s because Bokuto could not keep his hands off of Akaashi and follows suit. Poor Akaashi. Tsukishima exits too, keeping close to Kuroo. Kiyoko is talking very animately to Ennoshita and the pair moves closer so they can listen in. “I can’t believe it! I thought you had died!” Kiyoko is sobbing into Ennoshita, who looks like he might cry too.

“I had no idea you were sent to Kuroo of all people. If I would have known, I wouldn’t have…” Ennoshita doesn’t finish his sentence because he’s hugging the girl tight and she can’t stop sobbing. Kuroo approaches slowly and Ennoshita looks at the vampire. His expression shows fear at first, but then it softens. “Thank you, Kuroo-sama.” He says quietly, holding Kiyoko in his arms protectively. “Thank you for keeping her alive.” He says with a light smile.

Kiyoko wipes her eyes and is embarrassed when everyone is watching her. “Kuroo...this is my...good friend, Chikara.” She says slowly, finding her voice again. “I met him...before I was given to you. We had the same master, but Chikara took all of the responsibilities from me...he’s the reason why no one had ever touched me before you...Chikara shouldered everything since we were kids.” Kiyoko buries her face in Ennoshita again, thankful that her childhood friend is still alive. Kuroo is stunned by the news, and wishes to congratulate them on reuniting again, but he maneuvers Tsukishima around the pair and inside the house.

Now that he gets this castle to himself (minus Bokuto and Akaashi and the two servants), Kuroo is grateful for the freedom his father had given him. There are six different rooms inside, much smaller than the grand castle back home, but it’s big enough for their new family.

Tsukishima can hardly believe it. Barely a week had passed since he had been bought by Kuroo and he had already found love and able to have a life worth living. He doesn’t feel like garbage anymore; he had found someone that treasures him and treats him like he’s royalty. The door closed behind them and thankfully Ennoshita had already made the beds. They fall onto it, half-exhausted from the journey and half an excuse to be close to one another. Tsukishima kicks off his shoes and sheds most of his clothes so he can be more comfortable when he’s asleep in Kuroo’s arms. The vampire does the same, snuggling under the covers and tangling their limbs together.

Thankfully, they had arrived at their new home at night so there would be no sunlight streaming through the large, glass windows as they tried to sleep. Kuroo placed soft kisses against his lover’s skin. Tsukishima giggles at the touch but he relaxes even more. “I love you.” He says for the first time, without restraint. Kuroo coughs, not yet believing his ears. “I love you, Kuroo.” Tsukishima says again, smiling when he does. Now that they were alone and in paradise, the blonde felt truly free. He was free to speak his mind, free to love who he wanted, eat the foods he wanted, sleep all day if he wanted...everything felt so right in Kuroo’s arms. “I love you, old man.” Tsukishima says in a teasing tone, which makes Kuroo laugh.

“I love you too, Kei. I love you so much.”   

 


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dedicated to @atanalerectida for forcing me to finish this epi. I hope you enjoy!

The loud boom of the front doors being slammed wide open is the first thing that wakes Kuroo up in the morning. He bolts upright, eyes scanning the room for any intruders. Tsukishima is still asleep, curled up by his side. For just a brief moment, Kuroo fears for his lover’s safety but then a familiar scent wafts in and Kuroo’s limbs turn to mush. Kuroo carefully detaches himself from the blonde and stumbles his way outside of his room and down to main entrance where two figures stand proudly in the main hall.

 

“Ah, there he is!” Sawamura exclaims, voice booming.

 

“I told you he’d still be sleeping; he’s barely wearing any clothes.” Iwaizumi muses.

 

“Well, he was probably busy last night.” Sawamura says with a knowing smirk.

 

Kuroo doesn’t even mind the teasing this time; he runs down as fast as his morning limbs would carry him, and pummels into his two older brothers. It had been two years since he last saw them, since he left the castle and started a new life. Kuroo loved his older brothers a lot; they were strong, reliable, and perfect role models. He strived to have the strength of Iwaizumi and the dependence and reliability that Sawamura had.

 

His brothers had no trouble with the added weight and held their younger sibling carefully as he sobbed. Sawamura smiled and ruffled his hair while Iwaizumi patted his back. “Hey, don’t cry now, Tetsu. You’re a grown man now.” Sawamura says when he too is also on the verge of tears. Iwaizumi doesn’t cry; no one had ever seen him cry once, not even as a child. But he can feel the prick of tears at the corners of his eyes.

 

“Let him cry, ya old man. He’s still our baby brother.” Iwaizumi scolds, but his tone is light and knowing. Kuroo sniffs, hands wrapped around his brothers’ strong frames, trying to keep himself grounded. He takes a deep breath, takes in the scents of his family, let’s the warmth sink into his bones, sending comforting chills down his spine. He pulls away after a while, wiping at the tears before getting a real good look at his siblings.

 

Kuroo’s a little embarrassed because both of his brothers are wearing their normal regal clothing, looking straight out of a royal gathering. As he looked down at his baggy silk pants that barely hung around his hips and lack of shirt. He looked like a slob compared to his regal brothers. “I’m sorry for my appearance. I…” Kuroo bites his lip. “How are you both here? Am I dreaming?” He asks, hands shaking with emotion.

 

Sawamura laughs, his voice booming and echoing throughout the house. Kuroo winces; it would probably wake up everyone else in the house. “This is no dream, Tetsu. We came to visit our little brother and see how life was treating you.” Sawamura looks around with a wide grin. “Besides, I haven’t met your spouse; I want to see what kind of beauty captured my baby brother’s heart.” Iwaizumi watched Sawamura carefully before bursting out into laughter. Sawamura’s cheeks were slightly pink; even Kuroo couldn’t miss that.

 

“This old man here,” Iwaizumi begins, slapping a strong hand on his older brother’s shoulder, “Is just jealous that our baby brother got hitched before we did.” Kuroo stares at them before joining Iwaizumi in laughter. But it dies down once Kuroo smells that Tsukishima is awake and coming down the stairs. All three heads turn towards the staircase where the blonde appears in one of Kuroo’s oversized shirts and nothing else.

 

“Tetsu?” Kuroo’s face heats up once he realized Tsukishima’s lack of clothing and nearly rushes up to carry the blonde back into their bedroom. He hopes that maybe Sawamura and Iwaizumi didn’t notice that his lover wasn’t wearing anything underneath, but he hears them whistle in the foyer which makes Kuroo blush even more. Tsukishima was a little surprised by how quickly he was carried back to their room. “Tetsu, what’s wrong?” Kuroo fumbles through the closet for Tsukishima’s clothes and starts dressing him nicely.

 

Kuroo looks a little sheepish at the blonde. “My brothers are here.” He says simply, which is enough for Tsukishima to get the picture and his entire body turns red. Once Kuroo is done putting on his clothes, the blonde flops onto his stomach on their bed, trying to hide from the embarrassment. He couldn’t believe that he had wandered outside dressed like he had and probably having Kuroo’s scent all over him. How could he face Kuroo’s family now?

 

Once Kuroo puts on more desirable clothing, he applies some oils to the blonde’s neck in order to keep his scent clean in front of his older brothers. He hears a knock at the door before Kiyoko walks in wearing her usual maid attire; Kuroo had to admit it looked really cute on her. “Kuroo, I had your brothers sit in the parlor behind the kitchen. They seem to be full already so I just served them some tea.” She smiles at Tsukishima. “They’re really happy to meet you, Tsukishima.” The blonde bites his lip and turns a bit red in the face.

 

The walk from their bedroom to the parlor makes Tsukishima nervous; he’s heard Kuroo talk about his brothers before. They were strong, reliable, and perfect role models. Tsukishima felt ashamed; there was nothing reliable or strong about him. Would his brothers approve of a former slave? As they entered the room, Tsukishima could feel the air of royalty hit him like a wall of bricks. Kuroo tugged him along eagerly, happy to show off of his mate.

 

When Tsukishima spots the brothers, he can automatically see where Kuroo gets his looks from. They’re very handsome, thought Tsukishima thinks Kuroo is the most handsome out of the three. At first glance, they looked to be quite intimidating and a little scary, but once the brothers lay eyes on him, their faces hold the brightest smiles he had ever seen. “Daichi...Hajime...this is my…” Kuroo looks nervous. “...mate, Tsukishima Kei.” Kuroo’s cheeks heat up and he stares at the floor, unable to meet his brother’s gazes.

 

“Tsukishima...what a pretty name.” Sawamura steps forward and bows in front of the blonde. “My name is Sawamura Daichi, First Prince of our nation.” The middle brother mimics the action, keeping his head low.

 

“I’m Iwaizumi Hajime, Second Prince.” He looks up to meet Tsukishima’s eyes. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tsukishima-san.” The blonde bites his lip; never in his life would he have ever managed that two princes would ever bow before him, let alone have a prince that he could call his own. It all seems like a dream; Tsukishima was just getting used to his new life with Kuroo, and now everything felt new and unfamiliar again. The princes stand up and smile before crowding around Kuroo and ruffling his hair. “Damn, little brother. I can’t believe you would have such a lovely mate before the two of us.” Kuroo whines and Sawamura only laughs.

 

Kuroo looks helplessly at Tsukishima, his eyes begging to be saved. But the blonde’s lips curl into a half-sinister grin that sends a shiver down Kuroo’s spine. The vampire knows that look, knows exactly why he’s been given that look, and sighs as his brothers roughhouse him. Tsukishima finds it cute that Kuroo has such a loving family, but he also feels guilty that he was the one who took Kuroo away from his family. “Tetsurou, I’ll help Shimizu wash the dishes from last night’s dinner.” He says softly, bowing to the elder princes before leaving and going to help Kiyoko.

 

Once Tsukishima leaves, the brothers sit down on the couch, Kuroo smooshed in the middle of Sawamura and Iwaizumi. They sit in silence for a while, and Kuroo revels in the fact that he’s with his elder brothers again, just like when they were children. “It looks like you’re living a good life, Tetsu.” Sawamura speaks, one hand atop Kuroo’s head.

 

“I’m glad that you’ve found someone to spend the rest of your life with.” Iwaizumi wraps one arm around Kuroo’s shoulders. “Are you married yet?” Kuroo blushes and shakes his head; he’s not strong enough to take the next step. He think’s where they’re at now is just fine for both of them. There’s a moment of silence again before Iwaizumi speaks again. “We have a formal invitation for you, Tetsu.” Iwaizumi procures a scroll from his inside jacket pocket and hands it to Kuroo. He’s nervous about the contents inside, hands shaky as he slowly unrolls it.

 

Kuroo’s eyes widen at the words written inside and he can’t help the tears that overflow and stain the paper he’s holding. “T-the First Prince...formally invites Kuroo Tetsurou and his company, to a royal wedding of the future King, Sawamura Daichi, and his fiancé…” Kuroo can’t believe the words he’s reading. “Daichi...you’re getting married?” He turns to his eldest who had red cheeks, looking embarrassed. Iwaizumi laughs.

 

“Yeah…” Sawamura looks away, covering his face. Kuroo beams, proud of his eldest brother and wraps his arms tight around him. “I want you and...Tsukishima to come. As part of our family.” Kuroo tenses and looks back up at Sawamura, and he already knows what Kuroo’s going to ask so he speaks first. “The old man is dying; he doesn’t have much longer left.” Kuroo doesn’t move. “Before he dies, I want him to see that his sons have found someone they love dearly, and that we’re strong enough to rule his kingdom when he’s gone.”

 

Iwaizumi sets a warm, comforting hand on the Kuroo’s back. “We can assure your safety completely; no harm will come to either of you.” Kuroo stands up and turns to face his elder brothers.

 

“I’d love to come to your wedding, Daichi.” Kuroo pauses. “I just have to make sure that Kei is comfortable with going back to that place.” Sawamura nods knowingly, and gives his little brother a bright smile.

 

“I won’t be offended if you don’t go...it’s why I came in person today so that I could at least get to play with my little brother again, like we used to.” Kuroo smiles, bliss bubbling in his chest. He excuses himself as Kiyoko walks in with more tea, and goes in search of his blonde mate. He finds the blonde outside in the backyard, sitting in a chair overlooking the garden. Kuroo smiles and tiptoes over to him, but Tsukishima hears him easily.

 

Exhausted, Kuroo falls on his knees in front of the other male and plops his head onto the blonde’s lap. Tsukishima’s hands work through the knots of Kuroo’s hair, trying to smooth it back to his normal bedhead. “I can’t believe my brothers came to see me.” The vampire mumbles, nuzzling his nose into smooth pale skin, humming as the scent filled his entire being. “I look up to them so much…” Tsukishima smiles.

 

“They seem to love you very much. I’m...a little jealous.” Kuroo presses small kisses to the blonde’s thighs in an attempt to soothe him. “Don’t get all sad on me. I’m not going to get depressed because you have a loving relationship with your brothers. The small amount of time that I remembered Akiteru is good enough.” Tsukishima leans down and plants a gentle kiss on the vampire’s forehead before nudging Kuroo up and off his lap.

 

Complying with a whine, Kuroo stands up and stretches. He waits a moment, clears his throat as he tries to think of a way to ask Tsukishima to go back to the castle. “So...my eldest is getting married.” Tsukishima’s eyes widen for a moment before softening.

 

“That sounds nice.” Kuroo nods.

 

“Mm, I’m really proud of him.” Kuroo scratches the back of his head and avoids eye contact with the blonde. Tsukishima can already tell his lover is scheming something. “They invited us...to go.” Kuroo bites his lip. “Back to the castle…” Tsukishima purses his lips a little, watching Kuroo’s nervous ticks, the way his fingers shook at his sides, his jaw shifting from side to side ever so slightly, his eyelashes fluttering lightly against his skin. “Of course we don’t have to; I wouldn’t want to put you in an uncomfortable position…”

 

Tsukishima heaves a sigh and stands up. “Did you honestly think I would refuse?” Kuroo flinches as Tsukishima closes in and wraps his arms around the vampire’s waist. “I’ve...already decided that I’d stick by your side no matter what. You promised you’d be with me...for as long as I live. Maybe longer...but I would never miss your brother’s wedding. That place...has memories I’d rather not think about, but with you by my side, all I can see is our bright future, not the bleak past. So please be selfish once in awhile, Tetsu.” The blonde pauses as he rests his cheek against the other male’s chest. “You can be selfish with me, Tetsu. I don’t mind.”

 

“Wow, our little bro is kind of smooth.” Iwaizumi hums, crouching behind some bushes a few meters behind the couple conversing in the garden. Sawamura laughs.

 

“Smooth? It’s completely obvious that blondie has Tetsu wrapped around his finger.” Iwaizumi makes a sound, but he has to agree just a bit. “He made a good choice.” He turns to the middle brother. “Speaking of, I honestly thought you were going to propose a wedding before I was.” Iwaizumi freezes. “Something holding you back?”

 

It takes just a few seconds of Sawamura’s gaze to crack Iwaizumi and he sits down fully, a small groan at the tip of his tongue. “Tooru…” He starts like the name causes him pain to speak aloud. “He thinks he’s not good enough to have the Second Prince.” Iwaizumi huffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “He’s such an idiot...he’s basically royalty too.” Sawamura laughs.

 

“Koushi was like that at first too, but when he...realized he had a lot of power over me…” He trails off a little, not wanting to divulge his private life too much. But Iwaizumi seemed to get the idea and guffawed, losing balance.

 

“I can’t believe it. Suga’s gonna be the true King, I can see it now.” Iwaizumi laughs again but his voice dies down. “Tetsu’s coming.” Sawamura stares and nods.

 

“Mmm, he is.” They both stare innocently as their younger brother approaches them. He tries to calm his breathing.

 

“CAN YOU TWO NOT PEEP INTO MY PRIVATE LIFE?” Kuroo squeaks a little after he realized he had just scolded his elder brothers for the first time, and feels immediately guilty. But both Sawamura and Iwaizumi just laugh in response and drag the younger vampire down onto the ground, set on roughhousing their “rowdy” little brother.

 

It’s late when Kuroo returns to their bedroom, covered in dirt but with a glowing smile on his face that makes Tsukishima feel warm inside that someone other than himself could make him so vibrant like that. “Do not get on this bed without a bath.” Kuroo pouts, but then tiptoes over to where Tsukishima is reading a book on the bed, grabs him and throws him over his shoulder with ease, ignoring the blonde’s protests.

 

Before he can scold Kuroo, Tsukishima finds himself already naked sitting in a tub of hot water that Kiyoko probably prepared when he wasn’t paying attention. He wonders what kind of bribe Kuroo gives her to tend to his little schemes. He sighs as Kuroo slips in behind him and wraps his arms around the blonde’s middle. “You’re insufferable.” Tsukishima huffs, finding himself more relaxed with the warm bath water and the surprisingly warm body behind him.

 

“Mmm, maybe. But you still love me.” Kuroo hums and plops his chin on Tsukishima’s shoulder. His breathing is slightly heavy, no doubt exhausted from having a rowdy reunion with his family. Tsukishima leans back into the other, happy to be a support for his lover. “And I love you, Kei. Love ya so much.” Kuroo mumbles, his voice laced with sleep.

 

Tsukishima lets Kuroo take a nap in the bath, growing weary himself. But he makes sure to grabs the oil by the tub to run it through the vampire’s hair. He really loved playing with it, so Tsukishima had to make sure it was clean too. Kuroo woke up after the blonde started pouring water over his head to wash the oil off. “You took a long nap, Tetsu.” Still sleepy, Kuroo nods and gives the blonde a lopsided grin, one of his fangs peeking out slightly that made him look like a lovesick puppy more than a predator.

 

“Insufferable.” Tsukishima mutters to himself before standing up to grab fluffy towels for both of them. Kuroo lets the blonde help him up, dry him off, and push him to the bedroom to put proper night clothes on and into the soft, silk sheets that feel like satiny clouds. Tsukishima props himself on his side, gazing at Kuroo. The vampire is laying on his back, his shirt riding up so some of his stomach is bare, hands crossed behind his head, eyes gently closed, breathing evenly but still awake. The blonde traces his fingers over the tanned skin, and Kuroo lets out a small giggle.

 

“Oh my gosh, that tickles.” Tsukishima frowns. “Your fingers are all pruney!” Kuroo laughs as Tsukishima doesn't stop. In fact, he even plays with his skin more, eliciting more fits of giggles from the vampire. Kuroo has more than enough strength to make Tsukishima stop the torture, but he doesn’t. Either because he secretly likes it or he’s weak-willed to risk hurting the blonde, Tsukishima finds it endearing anyway. The blonde stops after a while, giving his lover a chance to breathe even though he doesn’t really need it.

 

The blonde slips his legs underneath the covers and presses his body up against the vampire. Kuroo keeps his eyes closed but he moves an arm to wrap around his lover, head lolling to the side, nose buried in Tsukishima’s freshly washed hair. It smells nice, and feels softer than his sheets. Kuroo wishes he could nap in Tsukishima’s hair, as creepy as it sounds and despite the fact that Tsukishima would definitely be repulsed by it.

 

“When your brother becomes King, can we move back to the castle?” Kuroo shifts, stiffening by the blonde’s side. “It might...take some time, but…” Tsukishima stares up at the ceiling. “After seeing you bond with your brothers so well...I felt like I couldn’t possibly take you away from them. They mean so much to you, and you mean so much to them.” Kuroo doesn’t say anything. “We don’t have to live inside the castle eve...but close enough to where you can invite your brothers over to dinner and you can crash in one of their rooms if you make me mad.”

 

Kuroo stiffens again; he definitely doesn’t want to make Tsukishima mad at all. “You okay with that, Tsukki?” The blonde reaches and takes one of Kuroo’s hands into his own, ignoring the small giggle at how ticklish his pruney fingers felt against his skin.

 

“Two years is a long time. When we go to your brother’s wedding, it will decide if I’m...ready to go back. I already feel so guilty being with you here right now...but I want you to be happy. And your brothers...they make you happy.” Kuroo sits up.

 

“You make me happy too, Tsukki! You make me happier than my brothers ever could!” He defends, huffing out his nose like he’s trying to show off his pride. But Tsukishima just finds it amusing.

 

“I know...surprisingly, I know I do. But...I want all three of you to be together. This fantasy life we have here is nice, but it’s lonely. I’m sure Akaashi and your crazy cousin and Kiyoko and Ennoshita...they must feel lonely stuck out here in the middle of nowhere. So...we can move our fantasy life closer to your brothers.” Tsukishima yanks Kuroo back down, gaining his pillow back and snuggling into the vampire’s chest.

 

Kuroo’s heart swells in his chest and he’s nearly brought to tears by his lover’s words. But he swallows them, gives a nod and a hum in agreement as he settles back into the pillows. He wraps his arms even tighter around the blonde, and Tsukishima lets him.

 

They melt into each other, fit together like a puzzle, and continue to strengthen their love even more.

 

From their rooms, Iwaizumi and Sawamura can hear the content sigh that escapes Kuroo’s lips, and they both smile. They don’t have to worry too much about their little brother anymore; Kuroo finally found something worth living for.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you thought!

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me what you think! I'm also thinking about writing either an IwaOi or DaiSuga spinoff. Which would you like to see?


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